Car-loading apparatus.



No. 877,589. I PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

F. R. WILLSON, JR.

GAR LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1902. RENEWED JUNE 20, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1m: NORRIS PETERS 60., WASHINGTON, a c.

PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

1?. R. WILLSON, JR, GAR LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1902. RENEWED JUNE 20, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

1n: NORRIS PETERS c0, WAsHlNcruN. u c.

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FREEMAN It. WILLSON, JR, OF WORTI-IINGTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE JEFFREY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CAR-LOADING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1908.

Application filed August 21. 1902. Serial No. 120.534. Renewed June 20. 1907. Serial No. 379.970.

T 0 all whom it mar concern:

Be it known that I, FREEMAN R. VVILLSON, Jr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worthington, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Loading Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the ac co'nip anying drawing.

This invention relates to an improved mechanism for loading vehicles, such as railway cars, and for delivering material thereto, it being particularly adapted for loading box cars with material irregular in character as to the size of its particles, such as coal.

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my improved mechanism employed to deliver material from a tipple chute to a car, said car being shown in cross section. Fig. 2 is an end view from the tipple side of the mechanism. Fig. 3 is an end view from the opposite side. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the valve and chute. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5, 5 of Fig. 4.

Any suitable frame for supporting the operative parts of the mechanism can be employed. For illustration I have indicated my improved device as interposed between a tip ple or screening mechanism and a car.

In the drawings A represents the framework upon which the tipple as well as part of the leading mechanism are erected, B and O being uprights, and D and E the cross beams of this frame. The beams F, G rest upon and are secured to the beams D E, and are provided upon their upper inner corners with the rails I, and upon their under sides with the racks I. r

J indicates the loader carriage as a whole. It consists of two channel pieces K mounted upon the wheels M, M. From the channel beams K is suspended a framework in which the mechanisms for furnishing power for operating the loader valve are mounted. This framework is preferably formed of uprights N which at their upper ends are rigidly secured to the channel beams K. Upon the cross beams O and end beams P is laid a flooring Q. Braces R are employed to strengthen the construction as shown. Upon one side of the framework the upright N extends sufliciently beneath the flooring Q to provide for the construction of a platform S mounted upon the cross beams T and provided with braces U and V. Secured to the sides of this framework are the arms W provided with bearings 10 in which is mounted a shaft X. This shaft carries pinions 0c, :0 which mesh with the racks I, and also carries a ratchet Y and pawl Y, and is provided at one end with a crank Z. It will thus be seen that upon releasing the pawl Y and applying power to the crank the carriage can be caused to move in either direction along the track formed by the rails I. These rails are curved upwardly at i to provide a positive stop for the carriage.

1 indicates a motor mounted upon the floor of the suspended framework. In the drawings I have indicated an electric motor. However a gas or steam engine could be satisfactorily substituted.

2 indicates the motor shaft, 3 the pinion thereon which meshes with the gear 4 on the countershaft 5.

5 is a pulley belted to the pulley 6 on the shaft 6 which also carries the cone pulley 6 which is belted to the cone pulley 7 on the shaft 8. 9 is another pulley on the shaft'S which is belted to the pulley 10 on the shaft 10 which is journaled in bearings secured to the channel bars K. This shaft carries the pinion 10 which meshes with the gear wheel 1]. on the shaft 11 which shaft is likewise journaled in bearings secured to the channel beams K.

The crank 12, 12 at either end of the shaft 11 operate the pitmen 13, 13 which reciprocate the feeder valve 14. The throw of the crank is shown adjustable at 12 to permit of controlling the throw of the valve.

To the inner faces of the channel beams K are secured the plates 15 which form the loader chute. This chute is open at its front end as indicated at 15, but is closed at its rear end by a plate 16. The valve 14, which is preferably a metal plate may be connected to the pitmen 13 in any suitable manner. For illustration I have shown the valve plate 1 1 provided with bearing blocks 14" in which is journaled the shaft 14 which connects the pitmen 1.3. To prevent friction the valve is provided with anti-friction rollers 17 mounted on shafts 18 journaled in bearing blocks 17 a attached to the under side of the Valve plate. These rollers 17 ride upon the upper inner surface of the angle irons 19 which are secured to the channel beams K. Angle bars 20, likewise secured to the channel beams K, are provided above the rollers and the valve plate 14 so as to prevent the same from jumping, bolting or from leaving the track provided for them by the angle irons 19. 21 represents a screen in the pathway of the material from the hopper or tipple to a delivery chute or hopper 22, and 23 indicates a device for retarding or checking the flow of the material to be loaded. In the drawings this retarding device is illustrated by a gate pivotally swung between the beams B.

- At 24 I have indicated the principal part of a distributing device of the class of those with any of which the mechanism above described can be combined; this distributing device being intended to carry the coal from the central receiving point outward laterally with respect to the feeder and longitudinally of the car. The distributer shown consists of a vibrating plate or shovel-like part 24 mounted upon an axis at 25, about which it vibrates. Below it is a concave hopper or receptacle 29 approximately concentric with the axis 25, and having its supporting wall adjacent to the edge of the distributer plate or shovel 24. It is into this receptacle 29 that the coal is delivered in charges from the reciprocating plate 14, the clean depositing of the charges being insured by having a side wing or chute 26.

The distributing device, its supporting shafting and the hopper and chute are supported upon a suitable framework of any of the well known sorts adapted to be advanced and retracted longitudinally through a freight car door to bring the distributer to the desired point on the inside of the car. And it will be further understood that with the parts of the distributer which I have illustrated are to be employed any of the well known forms of engines or motors which effect the vibrating or other movement of the arts which engage with the material to be.

oaded, and that the framework is to be provided with racks and pinions or such other means as are preferred for causing the in and out movement of the frame indicated by 27. For illustration I have indicated a power shaft 30, which may be driven from-any suitable source of power, provided with a sprocket wheel 30 which is belted to a sprocket wheel 31. on a countershaft 32 j ournaled in and projecting beyond the bearing 31 with its projecting end provided with a crank 33.

34 is a pitman pivotally connected at one end with the crank 33, and at the other end to a crank 35 which is keyed to the shaft 25. Thus when power is applied to drive the shaft 32 the plate 24 will be caused to vibrate.

The distributer and its frame are introduced into the car through one of the side doors, and the delivering parts of the loading mechanism, that is the carriage J which supports the reciprocating plate 14 and connected parts is introduced through the opposite door. These two parts of the mechanism can thus be accurately adjusted with respect to each other, and from time to time as oocasion requires they may be shifted laterally of the car so as to insure even distribution of the material as it is carried or propelled towards the ends from the other. By having these two parts of the mechanism thus ar ranged oppositely to each other relatively to the car 1 am enabled to provide all of the parts that are necessary to generate and apply the power for both purposes and the parts which are necessary to distribute the coal over relatively long distances. It has been proposed to effect the delivery of the material to the car and its distribution longitudinally thereof by means of the two-part mechanism, all connected together, and intended tobe introduced into and withdrawn from the car through one and the same door. has been found impracticable because of the relatively low horizontal plane in which the coal dro s from the delivering device and the relative y long distances horizontally from the center to the ends of the car. The difiiculties incident to these mechanisms so proposed I overcome by so arranging the parts that I can utilize to the full advantage the passage-ways provided by both of the car doors.

Another important feature of the present construction and arrangement of parts is that the distributing device, of whatever nature it be, (whether a swinging shovel like plate or an endless carrier, or a pushing plunger) is supplied at equal intervals of time, predetermined to correspond with the varying characters of the materials to be loaded, and in substantially uniform charges and masses which can also be predetermined to correspond to varying conditions. The throw of the reciprocating plate 14 can be varied in any suitable way, as for instance by varying the radius of the pivots 12 which connect the pitmen 13 with the disks or cranks 12; and the speed of movement of the delivering plate can be regulated in any suitable way as by the well known reversed cone pulleys and adjustable intermediate belt.

Considering the apparatus as a whole which is herein presented, it will be seen that I provide between the tippling and screening devices means for receiving and checking the coal, such as the chute 22,- the wall piece or gate 23, plates 15, the reciprocating plate or valve 14, and the rear end plate 16, of such nature as to positively stop the coal in its downward passage, this being in contradistinction from those constructions wherein there was a practically unimpeded passage for the material from the time it left the tipple until it dropped into the car, such passage in some cases being provided by a series of chutes arranged at an inclination over which,

s5 But thls I surface of its mass.

the material descends with more or less rapidity under the action of gravity, and descends continuously to the car, and in other cases consisting of inclined chutes and continuously traveling conveyers. This continuous and uninterrupted travel of material like coal has been one of the principal obstacles in the automatic loading of box cars; for as is well known the coal is delivered to the tipple and screens in large charges ranging from one ton to three tons, and which occur at varying and unequal intervals, according to the rapidity with which the tipple operatives push the mine cars onto the tipple and tilt them. This irregularity in the delivering of these large masses makes it exceedingly dilli cult, at the lower part of the apparatus to evenly and uniformly distribute the coal in the car. At one moment the distributing devices will be overloaded, and then for a comparatively long interval they may be without any material at all to work upon. With the present mechanism, as stated, these irregular initial charges that are received by the chute 22 are checked and for a short period held in a hopper-like holder from which the mechanism which I have described withdraws them in measured charges whose size and frequency can be predetermined and accurately regulated. This hopperlike, temporary, holder permits the largest lumps of coal to pass because, notwithstanding the described checking, there is nevertheless a forward easement of the coal at the region indicated by 28, the coal tending under the pressure of the superincumbent mass to reach but not pass a certain angle of rest at the forward From this forwardly squeezing mass the reciprocating movements of the plate 14 carry forward a sheet or layer of coal, which is divided into the charges as aforesaid which drop into the receptacle 29 of the distributer. After a car has been loaded and the delivering apparatus is withdrawn its outward or backward movement acts to relieve the down pressure of the coal mass, but the forward end of the plate 1.4 should be stopped at such point as to prevent any spilling of the coal.

What I claim is: a

1. In an apparatus for loading cars and similar vehicles, the combination, with m cans for positively advancing the coal or like material longitudinally of the car, of feeding mechanism for introducing into the car in planes transverse thereof approximately measured predetermined charges, and means adapted to receive charges of material which are not uniform in quantity or frequency, and delivering the same to the said feeding and receiving mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for loading cars and similar vehicles, the combination,with means for positively advancing the coal or like material longitudinally of the car, of feeding mechanism for introducing into the car on planes transverse thereof approximately measured charges, and means adapted to receive charges of material which are not unimechanism receiving the material from the checking and holding devices and advancing it in separate charges to the interior of the car and to the distributing mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4'. In an apparatus for loading cars and similar vehicles, the combination, with the initial chute-way down which the material moves by gravity, of a feeding mechanism intermediate of said chute and the car, and adapted to reciprocate relative to the said chute-way and to the car in order to deliver separate charges of material from the former to the latter, substantially as set forth.

5. In an apparatus for loading cars and similar vehicles, the combination, with an initial chute-way down which the material moves by gravity in masses which are not uniform in quantity or frequency, of means for temporarily checking and holding the said masses, and a feeding mechanism intermediate of the said. chute-way and the car, said feeding mechanism having a bodily adjustable frame movable toward and from the car, a power mechanism supported upon said. frame, and a reciprocating, horizontally arranged support for the material movable independently of said adjustable frame and adapted to deliver charges of material into the car while the said frame is in a fixed position, substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus for loading cars and similar vehicles the combination, with the mechanism which initially holds and delivers the material, of a feeding mechanism intermediate of the said initial holding and delivering mechanism, said feeding mechanism having a bodily adjustable frame movable toward and. from the car, and a horizontal reciprocating plate or support for the material upon which it is delivered from the initial holding and delivering mechanism, and from which the said material is delivered in separated charges; and a power mechanism for reciprocating the said plate, subtantially as set forth.

7. In an apparatus for loading cars and similar vehicles, the combination with a chute way down which the material moves by gravity, of a feeding mechanism 1ntermediate of said chute-way and the car hav ing a reciprocating material-support or valve adapted to receive the material from said chute-way and to advance it into the car in a sheet of relatively uniform thickness and to deliver it to the car in separate, relatively uniform charges, substantially as set forth.

8. In a mechanism for feeding materials to cars and similar vehicles, the combination of an adjustable framework adapted to be projected into the car, a reciprocating materialsupporting plate mounted in said framework, and means for reciprocating the plate relatively to the frame, substantially as set forth.

9. In a mechanism for feeding materials to cars and similar vehicles, the combination of an adjustable frame adapted to be moved relative to the car, a supporting frame therefor, a reciprocating plate mounted in said adjustable frame and adapted to receive the materials to be loaded, and to advance it so as to form a sheet of the material of relatively uniform thickness, and then deliver a predetermined charge of the same to the car, a

, motor on said adjustable frame, and. power transmitting means connecting the motor with said reciprocating plate, substantially as set forth.

10. In a mechanism for feeding material to cars and similar vehicles, the combination of an adjustable carriage or frame adapted to,

be projected into the car and held in fixed position, a reciprocating plate or valve mounted on said frame, a motor on the frame connected with said plate to cause it to reciprocate, and means for varying the distance of travel of the plate, substantially as seton, a reciprocating plate adapted to deliver the material to be loaded to the car, power transmitting means connecting said plate with said motor, and means for varying the speed of travel of the plate, substantially as set forth.

13. In an apparatus for loading cars and similar vehicles, the combination of a feeding mechanism for introducing into a car in planes transverse thereof approximately measured charges of material, and means for varying the frequency with which said charges are delivered, substantially as set forth.

14. In an apparatus for loading cars and similar vehicles, the combination of a feeding mechanism adapted to be moved to and'from a car, and when in working position within the car to deliver thereto on planes transverse thereof approximately measured charges of material, and means for varying the quantity of material in said charges, substantially as set forth.

15. In an apparatus for loading cars and similar vehicles, the combination with an initial chute-way down which the material moves by gravity in masses which are not uniform in quantity or frequency, of a reciprocating plate arranged horizontally beneath said chuteway and extending forward therefrom to a point within the car and adapted to receive the material from said chute-way in masses which are not uniform in quantity or frequency and to advance it toward the car so as to form a sheet of relatively uniform thickness and then deliver a predetermined charge of said sheet of material to the car, substantially as set forth.

16. In an apparatus for loading cars. and similar vehicles, the combination of the feeding mechanism for introducing into the car in planes transverse thereof approximately measured predetermined charges of material, and means adapted to receive charges of material which are not uniform in quantity or frequency, and to deliver the same to said feeding mechanism.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREEMAN R. VVILLSON, JR.

/Vitnesses:

Jos. VVEBSTER, R. H. COTTINEL. 

